In many ways, Friday night’s
Ottawa Charge
game at the Canadian Tire Centre served as a crucial test.
Would
fans follow the team
to a venue more than 25 kilometres west of downtown Ottawa? Could the
PWHL
team fill an arena more than twice the size of its current home capacity?
And, most importantly, could the venue feel like home?
With 17,114 fans packing into the Canadian Tire Centre and setting a new league attendance record in Ottawa, the answer appears to be
a resounding yes
.
Kazoo rally cries
echoed throughout the building. Hand-drawn signs filled every corner. Between-whistle singalongs and dance parties extended long after the music stopped.
The Ottawa Charge didn’t even give its fans a goal to celebrate,
falling 3-0 to the Montreal Victoire
, but the result did little to dampen the atmosphere.
From a fan’s perspective, it was everything that makes a Charge game so special. Only this time, there were twice as many people participating in the beloved traditions.
After the game, players and coaches from both teams talked about just how loud it was in the building. Victoire head coach Kori Cheverie said it was hard to communicate with her team during TV timeouts as the crowd roared behind them.
For Ottawa native Rebecca Leslie, having a record-setting crowd in her hometown was extra special.
“It was really special to see the community come out to support us,” she said. “Growing up here, I knew how special the women’s hockey community was, and then to see it tonight is really special. We have the best fans in the league.”
Is the CTC the Charge’s future home?
Charge fans have every reason to start making themselves at home at the Canadian Tire Centre, as Friday’s game doubled as an informal audition at what could become the team’s future home.
PWHL executives have already indicated the
Charge would not continue playing at Lansdowne
after Ottawa city council approved a downsized arena plan in October, reducing capacity from more than 8,000 down to 5,500.
In the search for a new home arena, Canadian Tire Centre has emerged as a frontrunner. While nothing has been finalized, both the PWHL and the Ottawa Senators have confirmed that discussions appear to be moving toward a lease agreement that would see the Charge sharing the Senators home venue in coming seasons.
If a deal comes to fruition for the Charge to move to Kanata, it’s also expected that the team would become a tenant at the
Senators’ new home at LeBreton Flats
. But that plan is still at least five years down the road.
Friday’s record-setting turnout also offered reassurance. Last season’s inaugural PWHL game at the Canadian Tire Centre
drew just 11,000 fans
, leaving thousands of seats empty. This time, the building felt full — a sign that a move to Kanata could be executed with a certain degree of success.
With the league riding a wave of post-Olympic momentum, many new fans have been in the PWHL stands recently. The league is on pace to surpass one million ticketed fans in a single season, with ticket sales pacing more than 70% ahead of last season.
This period of growth could serve as an optimal time for the Charge to make the jump to a bigger arena.
Some fans even made a point to ensure fans felt at home in an unfamiliar venue.
Making it feel like home – with kazoos
Britt Hurley arrived to the Canadian Tire Centre with about 90 red-and-yellow kazoos that she 3D printed herself. As the unofficial founder of the now-signature noisemaker tradition at TD Place last season, they said bringing them was essential.
“We’re not in our home rink, but this is such a great opportunity for new fans to join in on old traditions,” Hurley said.
While they purchased kazoos on Amazon in bulk last season, Hurley said it was time to get a little bit more creative and they’ve been working all season to make enough kazoos. The 3D printing process takes about 90 minutes from start to finish as the noisemakers are printed layer by layer, before the plastic filaments and inserts are added.
Arena staff appeared to lean into the tradition as well. A pre-recorded trumpet “da-da-da DUT da DUH” rang out multiple times through the game.
But the defining sound came when dozens of kazoos came together to hum that same rallying cry in unison, followed by a booming, arena-wide response: “Charge!”
Noisemakers are typically prohibited at the Canadian Tire Centre, but Hurley said she was grateful the arena staff could make an exception for kazoos.
Related
“It’s a pretty cool special exemption to have kazoos here,” they said.
Some fans had previously raised concerns about the arena’s location, limited transit options and the lack of nearby bars and restaurants.
While these factors may still represent a significant downgrade from the central location fans have become accustomed to at TD Place, Friday’s crowd suggested these challenges may not be deal-breakers.
Whether that level of support can be sustained over the course of a full season, however, is yet to be seen.
The Charge has five games remaining in the regular season – including three at home at TD Place – as it continues to battle for the league’s fourth and final playoff spot.
